Device for preventing safe robberies



June 17, 1930.

o. L. BEVERLY DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SAFE ROBBERIES Filed Feb. 25, 1928 2 SheetsSheet l IHVEHTOR,

t n L. Bevcrly,

June 17, 1930. o. L. BEVERLY 1,764,191

DEVICE FOR PiREVENTING SAFE ROBBERIES Filed Feb. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Orion L. Beverly,

11 MYW Attorney;

Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES.

\PATENT OFFICE ORTON L. BEVERLY, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SAFE BOBIBERIES Application filed February 23, 1928. Serial No. 256,197.

This invention relates to those devices for preventing safe robberies wherein the tampering with the safe liberates a noxious gas. The burglar almost invariably makes his attack by breaking off the knob of the combi-' nation lock dial by hammer blows and then further damaging the lock by driving in the pin which carried the knob before the knob was broken 011'. Gas releasing devices have been installed which operated by the driving aged the lock by driving in the dial pin. I

accomplish the above, and other objects which will hereinafter appear, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a safe dial and adjacent portions of the safe door, the dial being broken away in parts.

Fig. 2, is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3, is'a view in elevation of a portion of the inside of a safe door showing the tube of my device in part vertical section.

Fig.4. is a detail in vertical section on the line H of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5, is an elevation of a modified structurp looking toward the inside of the door, anc

Fig. 6, is a horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

A safe door 7, is equipped with the usual plate 13, recessed on its outer face to recei've the dial plate, is fixed to the face of the door. It usually has cut awayopenings ifkto save metal and has a central. annular" flange 1.5 receiving a hub on the dialplatez.

which Fixed to the inside of the door is a vertical sleeve 16, by which a metal tube 17 is supported.

The interior of the lower end of the tube 17 is screw threaded and receives the threaded end of a tube 18 of a container or grenade 19 of usual content and construction having 7 a detonator (not shown) which is set off by a striker 20, located inthe tube 17. The grenade 19 contains a suitable gas producing substance and a combustible for gasifying it.

such as chloracetophenone crystals and gun powder, not shown. A dowel pin 21 is passed through suitable openings in the tube 18 and striker 20 to prevent accidental discharge of the grenade until the device is set ready for use, when the pin is removed.

Located in the tube 17 is a'reciprocating plunger 22 which is adapted, upon release, to contact the striker 20 and explode the detonator in the grenade. This plun er is held' during transportation, and assem IV of the device in a safe, by a screw bolt 23 which passes through a cap 24 of the tube 17 and is screwed into the end of the plunger after it is removed. A spirally wound spring 25 exerts a normal downward pressure against the plunger. The plunger is held in raised position, away fromthestriker 20 by a horizontal plunger lock flange 26 on a plate 27. The plate 27 is hinged at one end to a flange-extension 28 from the plate-supp0rt- .ing sleeve 16. The tube 17 is slotted opposite the lower end of theplunger' 22 in raised position of the plunger for the passage therethrough of the flange 26 under the raised plunger to hold the plunger up and out of contact with the striker, except when the' safe-lock is being improperly tampered with.

The mechanism for retaining the plate 27 with its flange in position to hold the plunger up, comprises a link bar 30 havingan eye H at each end, and attached by an eye at one end to that-end of the plate 27 which is remote from the hinge end ofsaid plate. The link bar 30 passes thence through a hole, previously drilled for that purpose through the s'afe d'oor, and is connected by its other eye with the end of lever 32 placed rad'iall of the dial plate, and having] its free end eld 32 are held in taut position by a spring 33,

located between the plate 27 and an extension 34 of the support for sleeve 16. The spring is positioned by a pin 36.

If necessary, the hole through the door may be lined by a tube 37. This hole allows for the passage of link bar 30 and also for the prompt escape of the incapacitating gas Inasmuch as the metal from which some safe-doors are made is too hard to be drilled in applying my invention, I attach an arm 38 to the back plate of the lock case, and extend it into contact with the plate 27, so that when the dowel shaft is driven in the arm 38 will go with the lock, thereby releasing the plate 27. This modification is clearly illustrated in F igs.-5 and 6. 7

While I have here shown and described the best form of my invention now known to me it is capable of modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not desire to be limited any more than is required by the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like, I comprising a dial plate, a grenade-containing incapacitating gas producing materials, a striker, a plunger to operate the striker, and means cooperating with the dialplate for holding the plunger out of operative contact with the striker while the dial plate is in normal position and for releasing the plunger by the removal of the dial plate from normal position.

2. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like, comprising a dial plate, a grenade containing incapacitating 1 gas producing materials, a striker, a plunger to operate the striker,,-a lever located i-nthe dial, plate and means cooperating with the lever for holding the plunger out of operative contact withthe striker while the dial plate is in normal position and for releasing the plunger immediately upon the removal ofthe dial plate from normal position.

3. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like, comprising a dial plate, a grenade having incapacitating gas producing materials, and means for liberating gas from V tainer having incapacitatlng gas producing the grenade held inoperative by the dial plate and operative by removal of the dial plate.

4. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like, comprising a dial plate, a grenade: containing incapacitatinggas produc= ing materials, a striker, a plunger, a plungerlock flange, and a lever connected with the plunger-lock flange to lock the plunger in one position of the lever, said lever being held in plunger-locking position by the dial plate and released by the removal of the dial late. p 5. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like, comprising a dial plate, a grenade containing incapacitating gas producing materials, a striker, a plunger, a plungerlock flange, a lever connected with the plunger-lock flange to lock the plunger in and the like, comprising a dial plate, a grenade containing incapacitating gas-producing materials, a striker, a plunger, a swinging member. having a projection engaging and locking the plunger out of contact with the striker,a lever, and a link connecting the free end of the swinging member with one end of the lever, and the other end of the lever being held by the dial plate in position of its connected parts to lock the plunger. away from the striker until released by the removal, of the dial plate.

7.'In a device for preventing safe robberie-s'andthe like, a safe having a door, a dial plate located on the outside of the safe door, said door having a hole through itnear the edge of the dial plate, and a lever having ing to the inside of the safe through the hole in the door, a grenade containing incapacitat- I materials, means to act on the grenade and liberate said materials to form gas, and means cooperating with the dial plate to operate the last means only when the dial plate is removed from the safe.

7 9. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like comprising a dial plate, a conmaterials, means comprising a reciprocating member to act on the grenade and liberate said materlals to formgas, and means comprising a lever cooperating with the 1 dial plate to operate the last means only when the dial plate is removed from the safe.

10. A device for preventing safe robberies and the like comprising a dial plate, a container charged with incapacitating gas producing materials, means comprising a reciprocating member and a flange to hold the member inoperative adapted to operate on the grenade and liberate said materials to form gas, and means to release the flange, comprising a lever held by the dial plate and released to operate the catch by the removal of the dial plate from the safe.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ORTON L. BEVERLY. 

